Supreme Court Orders Medical Assessment of Asaram's Health, Declines Immediate Bail
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to constitute a medical board to evaluate the health condition of self-styled godman Asaram, who is seeking interim bail on medical grounds. The Bench, comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and P.B. Varale, made it clear that no interim medical bail would be granted unless the board expressly recommends it.
The court ordered the medical board to submit its report within a week. 'The petitioner's case may be referred to the Director of AIIMS, who may constitute a team of doctors, being experts in various fields, to conduct a thorough examination and submit a report on whether he should be admitted as an inpatient for treatment,' the Bench stated.
Asaram, now over 80 years old, is serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting a minor devotee at his Jodhpur ashram in 2013. The Rajasthan High Court had upheld his conviction and life sentence on May 27, 2026. Opposing the bail plea, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Rajasthan government, alleged that Asaram had violated the Supreme Court's January 6, 2025 order granting him medical bail by attending religious congregations. 'He got bail on the ground that he was in a vegetative state. But now he is roaming around,' Mehta argued, citing visits to Kashi Vishwanath and Ayodhya.
The Bench, however, reiterated that no interim relief would be granted unless there was a genuine medical emergency. Senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu, appearing for Asaram, urged the court to consider his advanced age and multiple ailments. The court responded, 'We are not granting bail except if we are satisfied it is required on medical grounds. Let the report come. If the report says he is not entitled, we will not.' The matter has been listed for further hearing on July 30.
The case originates from allegations that a minor girl, a devotee of Asaram, was confined at his Jodhpur ashram in August 2013 and sexually assaulted. In April 2018, a special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act convicted Asaram of rape, wrongful confinement, and criminal intimidation, sentencing him to life imprisonment. The Rajasthan High Court upheld these convictions in May 2026, though it acquitted co-accused Sharad Chandra and Sanchita Shilpi for insufficient evidence. The Supreme Court had previously issued notice to the Rajasthan government on Asaram's appeal but declined interim relief, observing that it would only consider bail if his medical condition posed a serious threat to his life.
